Alicia K. Morgans, MD, MPH, Genitourinary Medical Oncologist, Medical Director of Survivorship Program Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In this video, she speaks about the ASCO GU 2022 Abstract – 16: (Rapid Abstract Session A) Identifying patient profiles and mapping the patient journey across three countries in a large-scale, fully digital survey of patients with prostate cancer.
Origins:
A survey of PCa patients was done to map their experiences, expectations, and attitudes, as well as to identify obstacles and unmet needs in diagnosis, therapy patterns, care teams, QoL, patient groups, and resources. We provide the preliminary survey findings and compare and contrast diagnosis and treatment patterns in three countries.
Methodologies:
In conjunction with patient organizations and medical professionals, Don’tBePatient Intelligence performed a big survey in patients with non-metastatic (M) and metastatic (M+) PCa in Germany (DE), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States from February 9 to April 10, 2021. Patient organizations and social media ads were used to recruit participants. Descriptive and advanced statistics were used to evaluate the data.
Outcomes:
15,824 people finished the survey out of 33,882 who started it, with 50.1 percent in rural areas and 49.9% in urban areas. Diagnoses through healthcare screening were more common in the DE/US than in the UK (M/M+: DE 77 percent /58 percent; UK 42 percent /21 percent; US 77 percent /63 percent), where symptomatic diagnosis was more common (M/M+: DE 18 percent /39 percent; UK 49 percent /75 percent; US 12 percent /31 percent). In DE/US, prostatectomy was the most common treatment for M PCa (71 percent /57 percent). Radiotherapy was slightly more prevalent than prostatectomy in the UK (48 percent vs. 41 percent), and active surveillance was more common than in Germany and the United States (14 percent vs. 6 percent /9%). Hormone therapy was the most widely used treatment for M+ PCa in all nations (DE 65 percent; UK 77 percent; US 73 percent ). Chemotherapy was given to 2% of patients with MPCa in all countries, but it was more common in M+ PCa in the UK than in the DE/US (38 percent vs. 21 percent /27 percent; table). In all nations, satisfaction levels for all therapies were generally high (> 80%).
Observations:
This is, to our knowledge, the largest digital survey of PCa patients, enabling the discovery of unmet requirements along the patient journey. According to preliminary statistics, screening rates in the UK are lower than in the DE/US; this could be linked to a higher rate of symptomatic and potentially later-stage diagnosis, underscoring the importance of frequent screening. The fact that males with M vs M+ PCa are less likely to reply to the survey may explain the low active surveillance rates in DE/US. Differences in patient journeys, trust in healthcare personnel, access to information, involvement with patient advocacy groups, and QoL will all be examined further.